Pelicans-Nets Preview

Shortly before their last game of 2018, the New OrleansPelicansfound out they would be forced to win without Anthony Davis.

ThePelicans succeeded but hope Davis is back in the lineupWednesday night when they visit the Brooklyn Nets.

Davis was held out of Monday's 123-114 win against the MinnesotaTimberwolves due to an illness. Davis was originally in thestarting lineup but the change was made about five minutes beforethe national anthem.

Without Davis for the fifth time this season, thePelicans won forthe first time the center sat out since Dec. 6, 2017. ThePelicansfound ways to compensate for his 28.5 points and 13 rebounds by getting a huge night from Julius Randle and others.

Randle totaled 33 points and 11 rebounds while Jrue Holiday added26. Those performances helped thePelicans win for only the fifthtime in their last 20 games since Nov. 21.

New Orleans also was able to win without Davis by also getting 21from Darius Miller along with the return of Elfrid Payton from abroken finger that cost him the previous 22 games.

"I think for the most part, I tend to be aggressive," Holiday said."Just wanted to read the game and let it come to me. Sometimes youmight force it thinking Anthony is going to be out."

Miller said he and his teammates wanted to compete for Davis.

"He did everything he could to try and play," Miller said. "Weappreciate at that. At the last minute, he decided he couldn't, sowe tried to go out and win the game for him."

New Orleans last put together consecutive wins Nov. 16-19 when theywon three straight. The skid began with a 121-120 loss inPhiladelphia on Nov. 21 and thePelicans own 11 defeats by singledigits in this stretch.

Besides containing Davis if he plays, the Nets will attempt toreturn to their winning ways after a lost weekend in Charlotte andMilwaukee. Following a wild 134-132 double-overtime win overCharlotte, the Nets followed it up with a 13-point loss inCharlotte on Friday and a 129-115 loss in Milwaukee on Saturday ina game when they trailed by 26 in the third quarter.

The Nets rested D'Angelo Russell and reserve Ed Davis but lostRondae Hollis-Jefferson to a strained groin in the first quarter.Hollis-Jefferson may sit out Wednesday but coach Kenny Atkinsonsaid earlier this week that he did not think it was as bad as theleft groin strain the forward sustained in a charity game in Chinain August.

"It's not a pull, it's not a tear, (it's) a strain. So that's goodnews," Atkinson said. "I can't give you a timetable, but it's not ahuge, long process like he went through in the offseason. So I'dsay the news is positive in that sense."

Jared Dudley started for Hollis-Jefferson earlier in the season andKenneth Faried saw a bulk of the minutes Saturday by totaling 21points and 10 rebounds in 27 minutes.

The Nets will also be without Allen Crabbe, who is expected to misshis 10th straight game with a sore right knee.

Despite the lost weekend and the injury to Hollis-Jefferson, theNets are 9-3 in their last 12 games since blowing a 23-point leadand taking a 114-112 loss to Oklahoma City on a buzzer beater byPaul George on Dec. 5.

The Nets also are 6-2 in their last eight games that were withinfive points of the final five minutes of regulation.

"Playoffs? Yeah, for sure. I think that's more achievable than the.500," Davis said after practice Monday. "You get to .500, youmight mess around and be a fifth seed, sixth seed, for sure.Playoffs is definitely (possible). We're a game and a half out ofthe sixth spot, right? I think it's definitely achievable."

New Orleans is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings. In the first meeting onOct. 26, thePelicans wiped out a 12-point second half deficit andscored the final nine points of a 117-115 win.